


Epilogue

by PrincessBlowpop



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Keith comforting Lance, Langst, M/M, alternative ending, its what they DESERVE, time skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 03:48:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17093456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessBlowpop/pseuds/PrincessBlowpop
Summary: Since s8 was left kind of open ended, this is one interpretation of what happened after the ending credits





	Epilogue

It had been a year.

Keith had waited, no, had forced himself to stay away. He had called upon every ounce of patience and willpower to not come rushing home, his only home in the entire universe. But it wasn’t a place. For someone as impulsive and and nomadic as Keith, it would take more than a sturdy roof and stone walls to ground him.

“Lance” He breathed when his eyes landed on the man standing inconspicuously across the garden. It was night time, the moon hanging low and bright in the sky and the blanket of stars shimmering in the darkness around them, but the vibrance of the juniberry flowers blooming in the landscape was still vividly striking at their feet. Yet, the sight of Lance was still breathtaking, somehow overpowering the magical Altean plants, blinding Keith in his brilliance, and he couldn’t manage to pull his gaze away for even a moment.

“Keith?” Lance whispered, his voice hesitant like he couldn’t be sure, as he turned to face him. The sound of Keith’s name falling off Lance’s tongue sent a shiver down Keith’s spine. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed hearing that sound after a year. “What are you doing here.” 

Keith took a step forward. They were only a few feet apart, but it felt like an entire universe was wedged between them, forcing them apart like it always seemed to do, but Keith was just itching to get closer.

“I came to see you.” He admitted, blushing when he realized how vulnerable he sounded. “I mean, to check up on you. Make sure everything was alright. It has been a year, after all.”

Lance sighed at that, long and heavy, and Keith didn’t understand what he had said that had warranted such a solemn reaction. Lance pulled his gaze away and turned his face towards the stars, the universe beyond, and Keith wondered what he was searching for there. But, his expression looked tired, like the gesture was only a bad habit at this point, and he knew that he wasn’t going to find whatever he had been looking for.

“I guess I can’t say I’m surprised. I was honestly wondering how long you guys were going to let me hide out here drowning in my own pity and ignoring everything really going on in the world.” He spoke, but for some reason it didn’t sound like he was talking to Keith. When he turned back and their eyes met again, Keith found his skin erupting in goosebumps at the emptiness he found staring back at him. “It’s fitting that they sent you, though.”

“Lance, I came from my own accord. I’m not here to make you do anything you don’t want to do.” Keith explained, and he hoped his voice sounded as sincere as he was feeling in that moment.

Lance’s eyebrows crinkled together in confusion. “Then why are you here?”

“I told you, I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay.” Keith repeated, before adding, “as a friend.”

Lance pursed his lips like he was assessing the risk of a mission, and nostalgia spiked deep in his chest at the expression. Keith could only wonder what he was so afraid of.

“Follow me.” He finally said, and Keith could feel the air rushing back into his lungs, the unexpected suspense lifting all of a sudden.

He did as he was told, following only a step behind the other man. They walked away from the field of Juniberry flowers in silence, passing an old brick house on the way. It was weathered on the outside, but the inside was bright and full of energy and laughter. Keith wondered what Lance was doing outside alone when his family, the one thing Lance cared about more than anything in the entire universe, was only a couple steps away.

Keith stayed quiet despite these thoughts, his heart beating in his chest as he followed the one person he cared about most across an unfamiliar landscape to an unknown destination. It wasn’t until he heard the sound of waves crashing that he realized where they were headed, and he should’ve known this was where Lance would feel safest.

Lance seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when his foot hit the sand, the weight of whatever demos he had been carrying moments earlier visibly lifting from his shoulders and dissipating in the sea spray.

He led them to a spot tucked away behind a dip in the sand, framed by driftwood to be hidden from onlookers, and Keith wondered how many times Lance must’ve ran away to this spot in the past. They both sat in the enclave in silence for a couple moments longer, enjoying the view of the glittering stars reflecting on the rippling ocean waves. During the day, Earth’s horizon seemed like a definite line separating the two worlds, but now they seemed to blur together, and Keith couldn’t tell where the ocean ended and the sky began.

“How is everybody doing?” Lance finally spoke up, shaking Keith out of his thoughts.

“Good.” Keith replied, probably a little too quickly, and he cleared his throat before continuing. “Pidge and her family are working with the Garrison and Hunk started this intergalactic culinary thing which has actually been great at unifying different alien species.” Keith explained, slightly embarrassed that he didn’t keep up with them more so he would have more to say.

Lance hummed in response. “And what about you?” He asked after a pause, turning to face him. Keith gasped as their eyes met, and he saw every memory shared between them reflected there. He could remember constellations and galaxies from across the universe, sunsets and darkness on unfamiliar planets, and love and light in Voltron and the coalition. But right now his eyes were solemn and dark like the ocean, crashing in the distance and blurring the emotions reflected there until they were illegible.

“I- well…” Keith trailed off. He knew the right answer, but he knew it wasn’t what he actually wanted to say. “I’ve been leading the Blade of Marmora and transitioning them into a humanitarian organization.”

“That’s great, Keith.” Lance exclaimed, and he did sound genuinely happy for him. But it just made Keith’s chest tighten for some reason.

“What about you, Lance? How have you been?” Keith asked finally, the question having been grating on him for over a year now. 

Lance turned away, and a long silence stretched between them. Keith wanted to call out to him, but he didn’t dare chance stirring the fragile peace they had settled into.

“I… I don’t know.” Lance finally whispered, and if Keith hadn’t been anticipating the answer so closely, he was sure he would’ve lost it to the wisping of the ocean breeze.

“What do you mean?” He pressed, trying to sound gentle despite knowing he was particularly bad at these things. 

Lance sighed again, and Keith found himself developing a distaste for the sound. “I’m really glad you guys have been doing so well, not only for yourselves but for the universe. I’m really proud.” He paused, and Keith couldn’t help but notice that this pride he was referring to was missing in his voice. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Lance, there’s nothing wrong with you.” Keith responded instantly, hating how defensive his tone became.

Lance turned his gaze towards Keith and searched his expression. Keith didn’t dare let himself waver. Whatever Lance found there, he finally looked away before answering. “I can’t seem to let go of the past.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. You lost more than any of us.” Keith reassured. He instinctively reached out a hand to comfort him but decided against it at the last minute, and it fell between them instead. Lance didn’t seem to notice.

“I feel chained to her.” And Keith sucked in a breath at just the very reference to Allura. “Her memory, her people, her flowers. I can’t move forward because she keeps pulling me back. It’s suffocating me. And I know it’s terrible, but I just want to claw these fucking marks off sometimes.”

Keith glanced at the blue Altean marks cupping the corners of Lance’s eyes and glowing softly in the moonlight before tearing his gaze away. If he was being honest, he wasn’t completely found of them either, the marks being a constant reminder of the one friend they had lost in the war, the only person they hadn’t managed to save. And her marking Lance Altean only played out as a cruel joke in his mind, Allura branding her memory onto Lance’s face without permission, and stripping him of his humanity and heritage along the way, everything that made him Lance in Keith’s eyes. He knew that hadn’t been Allura’s intentions, but he still couldn’t seem to wholeheartedly accept the decision she had made on Lance’s behalf.

A silence stretched between them at that confession. The salty sea breeze blew past, the waves crashed in reassurance, and a house vibrated with life in the distance, but neither of them moved, their entire world suspended in the frozen air between them.

Keith knew he had to say something, something comforting and encouraging, anything. But his mind was blank, and his throat closed up, his mouth suddenly too dry. He knew he was failing at being a supportive friend, but then again he was never very good at these things anyway.

“Lance.” He managed to whisper, his voice cracking with the effort. “Why… why do you feel this way?”

He snorted. “I was in love with an alien princess who sacrificed herself to save the universe and all realities from vanishing from existence. I have to honor her memory, honor her sacrifice. I can’t… I can’t just leave her behind. She deserves so much.” And he was whispering by the end, his voice dropping in volume with each word. He was staring at the ground, but Keith couldn’t manage to pull his gaze away from those solemn grey eyes.

“Lance, we are never going to forget Allura and everything she did for us and the universe. We honor her memory every day in the work that we do, and we all think about her constantly. It’s not your job to honor her sacrifice.” And this time he did place his hand on his shoulder, and Keith was relieved when he didn’t pull away. “She wouldn’t want this for you.”

“It doesn’t matter what anyone wants, this is how I feel all the time. You think I don’t already know all that? It’s not that simple, Keith.” Lance argued back.

Keith squeezed his shoulder, undeterred. “I know. Emotions have a tendency to defy logic that way.” And Lance looked up at that, his eyes wide in surprise. “But I also know it’s not healthy to live like this. It’s not healthy to let your emotions swallow you whole.”

Lance expression shifted to something more sincere, more trusting, but also more desperate. “I don’t know what to do.” He admitted, his voice barely a squeak.

Keith smiled, hoping he could convey this rare moment of optimism towards the other man. “I had a vision of the future when I was in the quantum abyss.” He told, treading carefully with what he chose to share. Lance stared at him openly, and it was the first time in a long time he saw hope glimmering against the oceans in his eyes. “You were happy Lance. Really, truly, happy”  _ with me, _ he didn’t let himself say even though the emotion raged in his chest like a fire searing him from the inside out. He cleared his throat before continuing. “And you weren’t on this fucking farm.”

Lance tensed at Keith’s words, but then he sighed and all of the tension seemed to leave his body along with the breath, and he wondered how long Lance had been waiting to hear that; to know that there was a future beyond this, and that there was happiness within reach. Keith smiled a little wider when he saw his expression blooming with hope, vibrant like the Juniberry flowers he had left behind.

“I don’t know why I’m so surprised.” Lance admitted, standing up and stretching slightly, looking like an entirely new person.

“Surprised at what?” Keith questioned when he didn’t elaborate, staring at him confused from where he still sat in the sand.

Lance turned to him, a grin crossing his face, and oh God, it was blinding. “Surprised that the one and only Keith Kogane managed to drag me out of this place and back into reality.”

Keith did a double take. “Wait, do you mean-”

Lance extended a hand to help him up, cutting him off. “Yeah, let’s get out of here, mullet.”

Keith’s heart leaped in his chest. The old nickname, the slight grin, that familiar glint of mischief and wonder in Lance’s eyes was all so overwhelming. Finally,  _ finally,  _ he had his sharpshooter, his right hand, his rival, his teammate, his friend, his  _ home _ back into his life. Keith took his hand and suddenly he was grounded, but he was also uplifted again.


End file.
